Book Review: Let Go of Emotional Overeating & Love Your Food

It is not news that America is currently facing an unprecedented obesity epidemic, and one that would quickly have us learning to say no more often, resist the temptation to give in to our favorite foods and have better self-control over our eating patterns. However, contends Arlene B. Englander, this approach is as much of a problem as the epidemic itself. Diets are restrictive and often allow no room for error or introspection. And when people blame themselves for having a “bad” week, they create negative emotions which then often lead to compulsive overeating as a way to ease the pain. Englander likens this situation to an alcoholic experiencing not the taste, texture, and body of wine, but instead just feeling the numbing effect. She writes, “If one can’t take true pleasure in life, there is little to be found in wine.” In her new book, Let Go of Emotional Overeating and Love Your Food: A Five Point Plan for Success, Englander explores the relationship we have with food, the way it is so often perverted through dieting, and how we get back to enjoying our food — and not hating ourselves afterward. One question Englander suggests we begin with is: “What, in addition to eating, would be fun?” When we can begin to pursue the activities in life that bring us pleasure, what we set ourselves up to experience is a state of flow, where we are doing something that is intrinsically rewarding and we feel a sense of personal control, intense focus and concentratio...
Source: Psych Central - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tags: Addictions Binge Eating Book Reviews Diet & Nutrition Disorders Eating Disorders Exercise General Habits Happiness Healthy Living Mindfulness Motivation and Inspiration Psychology Self-Esteem Self-Help Stigma Treatment Source Type: news